In re the Estate of Snow

136 Misc. 771, 242 N.Y.S. 237, 1930 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1295
CourtNew York Surrogate's Court
DecidedApril 21, 1930
StatusPublished

This text of 136 Misc. 771 (In re the Estate of Snow) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Surrogate's Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re the Estate of Snow, 136 Misc. 771, 242 N.Y.S. 237, 1930 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1295 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1930).

Opinion

O’Brien, S.

This is an application by Fanny Joyce Snow, decedent’s widow, to compel the trustees of this estate to pay to her out of the principal of the trust created by his will for her benefit the sum of $17,000 per annum for her support, comfort and maintenance in addition to the net income of the trust which is approximately $8,700 per annum. Decedent and petitioner married November 26, 1921, at which time he was eighty years of age and she was forty-five years of age. He had been previously married and Elbridge G. Snow, Jr., the contingent remainderman hereinafter referred to, is a son by decedent’s former marriage. Decedent's will was executed on August 18, 1922. Decedent died November 7, 1925. He left surviving a son, Elbridge Gerry Snow, Jr., two granddaughters, Dorothy V. Brush and Janet Gerry Monroe, daughters of Elbridge Gerry Snow, Jr., and. a great-grandson, a grandson of Elbridge Gerry Snow, Jr. In the 2d paragraph of his will he bequeathed to the petitioner, Fanny Joyce Snow, the sum of $25,000 “ in addition to any and all securities which I may have given or transferred to her during my lifetime.” He also bequeathed to her all the books, pictures, silverware and household furniture now located in the premises No. 180 West 59th Street, New York City, and all jewels and jewelry owned by me, including any and all watches, and also one of my automobiles which she shall select from those owned by me.” Moreover in said will he devised to her his property in the city of St. Augustine, Florida, recently purchased by me, commonly known as Number 44 Bay Street, St. Augustine, Florida, together with all the books, pictures, silverware and household furniture therein contained, and also the parcel of land adjoining the same, recently purchased by me.” By the 10th paragraph of his will he disposed of the residue of his estate in the following manner:

“ Tenth. I give, devise and bequeath unto the American Exchange National Bank of the City of New York, one equal one-half part of all .the rest, residue and remainder of my personal estate and one equal one-half part of all of my real estate not otherwise devised in this my last Will and Testament, but in trust nevertheless, and upon the uses and trusts following, namely:

“ To receive, hold and, as often as may be necessary, reinvest [773]*773the same and collect and receive the. income arising therefrom and to apply and pay over, quarterly in each calendar year, such interest and income to and for the use of my wife, Fanny Joyce Snow, for and during her life, and upon her death to transfer and pay over the amount of my said residuary estate remaining in its possession and transfer and convey any real estate then remaining unconverted in its possession, together with any increment or increase thereof, unto my son Elbridge Gerry Snow, Jr., if he shall then survive my said wife. If, at any time, the interest and income arising from the said trust estate shall not be sufficient for the proper support, comfort and maintenance of my said wife, then, and in that event, I direct, authorize and empower my said trustee to appropriate and make such payments out. of the principal of the said trust estate as in its discretion shall be deemed necessary and proper for her liberal and generous support, comfort and maintenance. In the event that my said son shall not survive my said wife, then and in that event, I give, devise and bequeath the said residuary estate remaining in the possession of my said trustee unto the lawful issue of my said son, in equal parts, share and share alike, per stirpes and not per capita. In the event that my said wife, Fanny Joyce Snow, shall die before me; then and in that event, I give, devise and bequeath the said equal one-half rest, residue and remainder of my personal estate of every name, nature and description and the. said one-half part of all of my real estate, unto my son, Elbridge Gerry Snow, Jr., to have and to hold the said real estate to him, his heirs and assigns forever. I authorize and empower my said trustee, at any time during the existence of the trust, to sell and convert any of the said real estate into money and to invest and hold said money as part of the trust estate, and I also authorize and empower my said trustee, in the event that it shall so desire, to lease or mortgage the whole or any part of the said real estate remaining in the trust, and to make, execute and deliver any and all deeds of conveyance, mortgages or leases which may be necessary in the premises.”

Thus it appears that by these provisions he left one-half of his residuary estate outright to his son and the other half in trust for the petitioner, with remainder to his son. The final account of the trust company as executor, filed December 18, 1928, shows the net principal of the estate of testator to be $453,431.63, and the principal of the trust set up for the benefit of petitioner, Fanny Joyce Snow, under the 10th paragraph of the will, after the deduction of transfer tax, is $164,438.60. This trust fund will produce approximately, as above noted, $8,700 income per annum.

Petitioner’s application is based upon that part of the 10th para[774]*774graph which reads as follows: If, at any time, the interest and income arising from the said trust estate shall not be sufficient for the proper support, comfort and maintenance of my said wife, then, and in that event, I direct, authorize and empower my said trustee to appropriate and make such payments out of the principal of the said trust estate as in its discretion shall be deemed necessary and proper for her liberal and generous support, comfort and maintenance.” (Italics mine.)

Petitioner contends that the income produced by the trust fund during the period from November 7, 1928, the date of death of said deceased, to and including the 10th day of April, 1929, “ have been wholly insufficient for the proper support, comfort and maintenance of your petitioner, and the net income upon the said trust for her benefit will continue to be insufficient to provide for the proper support, comfort and maintenance of your petitioner.” She further contends as follows:

7. The payments of income so made to your petitioner have not enabled her to five and have the maintenance and comforts to which your petitioner was accustomed as the wife of said decedent, and by reason of her lack of means your petitioner has been obliged to deprive herself of many of the ordinary necessities of fife, let alone the comforts to which she was theretofore accustomed.

8. Said Elbridge Gerry Snow at the time of his decease was President of the Home Insurance Company of New York; President of the Franklin Fire Insurance Company, and President of the City of New York Insurance Company. His annual income at the time of his death and for many years prior thereto was approximately $100,000. He was a director of several banks in the City of New York and of Insurance Companies and other New York Corporations.

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Related

Rezzemini v. . Brooks
140 N.E. 237 (New York Court of Appeals, 1923)

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Bluebook (online)
136 Misc. 771, 242 N.Y.S. 237, 1930 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1295, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-estate-of-snow-nysurct-1930.